I would not feel so bad if they only see me once, but some poor students see me three or four times a semester – once for each class. Yes, I would die a little each time too. At least I feel their pain because I have to deliver the same lecture, time and time again – dying a little each time with them.

On the bright side, it is rewarding when you do get that 1 of 50 students that is interested in what you have to say.

Thanks for the words of encouragement, especially since I just taught a class today at 8:15am. There were only a couple with their heads rocking back and forth and eyes flicking open and shut (more shut I think). I had many boring lectures as an undergrad and grad, librarians aren't alone in that regard. Please let me know how to make the lesson on library databases exciting?

I am thinking about putting one of those remote control fart machines under someone’s chair – maybe that will liven things up. Justifiable or juvenile?[I remain anonymous because of suggestions like this.]

How comforting. I am about to start teaching basic computer courses (Word and Powerpoint) at the library where I work. Boring topics and damned if I know how to make them exciting except to put questionable material up (read that as porn) for them to make the PP slides out of.

I've been doing library instruction for a few years and librarian girl is right - there is a nerd contingent that will always love you. Every once in a while I'll meet a student in one of my sessions who is even more into library research than I am and looks up to me like I'm some type of information Goddess. These are the same people who will end up in library school in a few years time.

On the topic of boring library instruction classes, I know of a "Reference Librarian" who started her hour long instruction classes (if you want to call them that) by gathering the students around the painting of the man the library was named after for a 20 minute lecture about why the library was named after him. The explanation she gave for why the Periodicals Department is called periodicals was: "Periodicals is called periodicals because journal dealerships periodically send us magazines." One brave student raised her hand and asked, "how long have you worked here?" It's quite amazing that this woman claims to have a Ph.D. in Communications AND a MLS.

This feels like a support group ... that I have needed for the past year. Yes, I am an offender. Everytime, I tell myself that this time will be different. I would change it if I could. I tried humor but that can be worse.